Rotary reel rake



Feb. 14, 1950 c. JONES 2,497,409

ROTARY REEL RAKE Filed Dec. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "m N N f INVENTOR.

Cbas.Jones HTT'YS Feb. 14, 1950 c. JONES 2,497,409

ROTARY REEL RAKE Filed Dec. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C has. Jon 83 amount of leaves off the same.

Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY REEL RAKE Charles J ones, Fresno, Calif.

Application December 12, 1945, Serial No. 634,423 8 Claims. (01; 56-364) This invention relates to, land it is an object to provide, an improved rotary hay rake or reel; such reel being operative to rake hay in aneffective and practical manner, and to work alfalfa hay or the like without knocking an undue The reel operates smoothly and with the tines traveling in such a path that'a maximum recovery of hay is accomplished.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reel which is so constructed that the tines traverse a horizontal path at the bottom of said reel, whereby a sweeping action is obtained without any tendency to lift the-hay, which is a desirable feature.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reel for hay raking, as in the preceding paragraph, in which the reel includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tine shafts supported 'atthe ends and actuated by a cam assembly of novel construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts aswill fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate "corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure '1 is an elevation, foreshortened, of the improved reel; one of the cam assemblies being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 isa cross section, on reduced scale, online 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring'now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the reel comprises, at each end thereof, a cam assembly, indicatedgenerally at I, each of which camassemblies is fixed, in the manner hereinafter described,

in connection with the adjacent end frame 2 of when at the bottom of the reel; fithei tlne shafhs 2 being supported and controlled by the cam assemblies I as follows:

A driven center shaftB is journaled at its ends, as at i, in connection with the end frames 2 and extends centrally through the reel. Adjacent each cam assembly I the driven center shaft 6 is fitted with a spider 8 having a hub 9 fixed on said shaft; each spider 8 including arms I'D corresponding in number to the tine shafts 4.

The spider arms In project outwardly to'atermination adjacent but somewhat spaced from the corresponding tine shafts 4 circumferentially of the reel, and said spider arms-I0 are connected, at their outer ends, to said corresponding 'Itine shafts 4 by means of pivotallyv connected links 'I I, through which links the time shafts '4 .turnably extend.

Laterallyoutw ardly of the spiders 8 :the'tine shafts 4 project through an endless cam slot l2 formed in an adjacent cam plate I3 which. is hereinafter identified as the inner cam plate. Spools l4 on the tine shafts 4 run in the cam'slot 1:2 in guiding and supporting relation to saidshafts.

The inner cam plate I3 is formed with a hub 15 about and supported by the center shaft 6, and laterally outwardly of said inner cam plate l3-the hub I5 is formed with a radial flange 16. Another cam plate l1, hereinafter identifiedeas the outer cam plate, is secured to the .radial flange l6, for up and down adjustment, by adjustment bolts l8 which engage through slots I9 in-said outer camplate H.

The cam slot l2 of the innercam plate I3 is circular, except at the bottom where it is provided with a horizontal section 20. The outer cam plate I! is formed with anendless cam track 2| which is symmetrical'to the-camslot l2 but is disposed in vertically offset relation thereto, as shown; the offset being capable .of adjustment through the medium of the vertically adjustable outer cam plate [1.

The tine shafts 4- terminate between the inner and outer cam plates 13 and I1, respectively, and are there fitted with cranks which include, on the outer end thereof, rollers 23 which run :in the cam track 2| of said outer cam plate H.

The inner cam plate I3 is supported from the end frame 2 by means of anchor bridge brackets 24 rigid with such endframe, the cam plate being secured to the inner ends of :such members -24 by suitable fastening means :such as bolts 24a. The outer cam plate 11 is connected-withtheend frame 2 by bolts 25 which proj ect: through the end frame .2 and elongated slots .25a;in:the'jouterceam plate H. The outer cam plate I1 is also held rigidly connected to the inner cam plate l3 by means of bolts 13a mounted in the cam plate l3 and projecting through elongated slots Na in the cam plate l1, there being spacer sleeves l3b disposed about the bolts l3a between the cam plates l3 and IT. The elongated slots [9, Ha and 25a in the cam plate ll permit of vertical adjustment of the plate I! relative to the plate l3.

When the above described reel is mounted in connection with a hay rake, and the same is in use, the center shaft t is driven, causing rotation of the reel. With rotation of the reel, the tine shafts 4 are moved through a circumferential path corresponding to the configuration of the cam slot i2, which includes the horizontal section 20. As a consequence, the tines 5 traverse a horizontal path at the bottom of the reel, whereby the reel produces a sweeping action rather than a lifting action on the hay. This is an advantageous feature.

The outer cam plate I! is adjusted so that the offset of the cam track 2| is such that with movement of the tine shafts 4 about the cam .slot l2, the cranks 22, which engage in and are controlled by the cam track 2!, cause the tines 5 to assume a substantially downwardly projecting position when the corresponding tine shafts 4 are traversing the horizontal section 20.

- Above said horizontal section 20, and while traversing the remainder of the cam slot 12, the time shafts 4 are rotated by the cranks 22 so that the tines swing through a full circle so as to again be in a dependent position for the next pass along the bottom of the reel.

The above described reel provides a structure for the raking of hay in a smooth, effective, and practical manner, and in addition the structure is simple, requiring a minimum of maintenance or repair.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such de tail may be resorted'to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A reel comprising a driven center shaft, a plurality of longitudinal, circumferentially spaced tine shafts surrounding the center shaft, rows of tines on said tine shafts, spiders on the center shaft adjacent the ends of the reel, means connecting the spiders to the tine shafts, the latter being rotatable, and a cam assembly supporting the tine shafts at the ends and including a cam plate through which the center shaft projects, said cam plate having an endless cam slot surrounding the center shaft, the tine shafts projecting through the cam slot and being guided thereby for movement in a circumferentiai path corresponding to the configuration of the cam slot, said cam slot having a substantially horizontal straight portion at the bottom, and means cooperating with the tine shafts outwardly of the cam plate operative to rotatively position the tine shafts so that the rows of tines depend sub-- stantially vertically therefrom as the tine shafts traverse the straight bottom portion of the cam slot.

2. A reel comprising a driven center shaft, a plurality of longitudinal, circumferentially spaced tine shafts surrounding the center shaft, rows of tines on said tine shafts, spiders on the center shaft adjacent the ends of the reel, means connecting the spiders to the tine shafts, the latter being rotatable, and a cam assembly supporting the tine shafts at the ends and including a cam plate through which the center shaft projects, said cam plate having an endless cam slot surrounding the center shaft, the tine shafts projecting through the cam slot and being guided thereby for movement in a circumferential path corresponding to the configuration of the cam slot, another cam plate mounted outwardly of said first named cam plate but in adjacent facing relation thereto, an endless cam track on said other cam plate symmetrical to but offset relative to the endless cam slot in said first named cam plate, and cranks on the tine shafts between the cam plates cooperating with and riding in guided relation on said endless cam track.

3. A reel comprising a driven center shaft, a plurality of longitudinal, circumferentially spaced tine shafts surrounding the center shaft, rows of tines on said tine shafts, spiders on the center shaft adjacent the ends of the reel, means connecting the spiders to the tine shafts, the latter being rotatable, and a cam assembly supporting the tine shafts at the ends and including a cam plate through which the center shaft projects, said cam plate having an endless cam slot surrounding the center shaft, the tine shafts projecting through the cam slot and being guided thereby for movement in a circumferential path corresponding to the configuration of the cam slot, another cam plate mounted outwardly of said first named cam plate but in adjacent facing relation thereto, an endless cam track on said other cam plate symmetrical to but offset relative to the endless cam slot in said first named cam plate, and cranks on the tine shafts between the cam plates cooperating with and riding in guided relation on said endless cam track; said necting the spiders to the tine shafts, the latter being rotatable, and a cam assembly supporting thetine shafts at the ends and including a cam plate through which the center shaft projects, said cam plate having an endless cam slot surrounding the center shaft, the tine shafts projecting through the cam slot and being guided thereby for movement in a circumferential path corresponding to the configuration of the cam slot, another cam plate mounted outwardly of said first named cam plate but in adjacent facing relation thereto, an endless cam track on said other cam plate symmetrical to but'offset relative to the endless cam slot in said first named cam plate, and cranks on the tine shafts between the cam plates cooperating with and riding in guided relation on said endless cam track; the tine shafts being provided with spools which ride in the endless cam slot, and the cranks being provided with rollers which ride on the endless.v camv track 5. A reel as in claim 4 in which the endless cam track is in the form of a channel track.

6. A reel as in claim 3 in which the first named cam plate includes a hub on the center shaft, said hub having a radial flange and the other cam plate being vertically adjustably secured to said flange.

7. A hay rake comprising a supporting frame, a driven shaft journaled in the frame, spaced apart pairs of parallel spider arms fixed to the shaft and projecting radially therefrom, a link pivoted on the outer end of each spider arm, a tine shaft turnably mounted in each pair of links, tines fixed on each tine shaft, a cam plate fixed relative to the driven shaft and provided with a cam slot disposed circumferentially about the driven shaft, each title shaft projecting into the cam slot and guided therein, the cam slot at its lower side having a horizontal section, the balance of the slot being circular, and cam operated means separate from the first named cam plate and operatively connected with the tine shafts to turn the same to position the tines thereon in a substantially vertical position as the tine shafts travel the horizontal run of said cam slot.

8. A hay rake as in claim 7 in which said last named cam operated means includes a second cam plate fixed relative to the driven shaft and spaced from the first cam plate in facing relation thereto, the second cam plate being provided with a cam slot of the same contour as the first named cam slot but offset vertically with respect thereto, a crank arm fixed on each tine shaft, and a roller on each crank arm projecting into the second named cam slot.

CHARLES JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 20 Number Name Date 255,298 Kanne Mar. 21, 1882 2,102,709 Hume et al Dec. 21, 1937 2,144,905 Wallace Jan. 24, 1939 

